Season suspension is bad news for the Liverpool future of Divock Origi

The Premier League’s suspension surely spells disaster for the long term future of Divock Origi at Liverpool.

Reports have long linked Liverpool with a move for a striker. Principle among those is Timo Werner, who does seem like the perfect fit. Honestly, he ticks every box Origi does in terms of style but also adds a proven track record at the elite level.

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There is a sense that Liverpool can upgrade on Origi, too. While Werner would certainly be a first-team option, Liverpool might look for a second striker, too. That’s based purely on the Belgian’s performances this season. He’s only scored five times, with two coming in the League Cup.

What works for Origi is that he’s quite unique in other ways. For one, he seems relatively content in being a squad player and has previously shown his ability to score in big games. The latter is a rare talent, especially with squad players.

That makes him very difficult to replace. Where do you find a player who will sit on the bench for the vast majority of the season but can also make the difference against the very best? The moment you’re looking in the latter bracket, you’re paying a huge price – that doesn’t translate to ‘squad player’.

But this suspension doesn’t work for Origi and could spell disaster for his Liverpool future. For one thing, there is now a lot more time for Liverpool to assess players who could potentially replace Origi.

That means both analysing data and video, as well as negotiating with other sides. If players are available, Liverpool will be able to find out, given that there is nothing stopping teams from discussing.

There’s also the fact that smaller clubs – whose players are more likely to fit the ‘squad player’ profile – are likely to feel the effects of the suspension financially. It’s a horrible part of the game right now but selling their players is the most viable option for making up any cash lost.

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While everyone would rather it wasn’t the case, Liverpool can take advantage of that desire to sell.

So the opportunities will be there for Liverpool and that doesn’t look good for Origi. His five-year spell at Liverpool, since arriving for £10m, could be coming to an end.